Various forms of business machines, and particularly manual and electric typewriters, heretofore have been provided and used for printing (typing) business letters and forms. However, business machines of this type, after a paper to be printed upon has been inserted in the machine, are capable of printing characters only in predetermined positions spaced across the associated paper. Accordingly, if it is desired to print (type) a character or characters in positions other than those predetermined positions, it is necessary to loosen the paper from the paper support mechanism, shift the paper relative to the paper support mechanism to the desired position and thereafter again secure the paper in the shifted position thereof relative to the paper support mechanism. This shifting of the paper relative to the paper support mechanism is, at best, a trial and error method.
Accordingly, a need exists for a business machine paper support structure including means whereby the paper support structure may be precisely shifted, as desired, relative to the escape mechanism of the business machine which normally functions to successively position the paper support mechanism in predetermined positions relative to the printing mechanism.
Various forms of printing mechanisms including some of the general structural and operational features of the incident invention heretofore have been provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,741,355; 3,448,844 and 3,819,028. However, these previously known forms of printing mechanisms are not well suited for the particular purpose for which applicant's invention has been designed and are not readily adaptable to existing business printing machines such as typewriters.